The middle grades are a time of dramatic growth for youth. This is a time period marked by significant physical and emotional changes, as adolescents experience the early stages puberty and a late spurt in brain development. It is also a time marked by the increasing importance and influence of peers and increasing independence from parents and other family members.
In schools, the middle grades mark a unique period of transition. Students entering middle schools are exposed to a more fluid environment with changing classes, multiple teachers, rotating schedules, and significantly larger numbers of students at each grade level that come from different elementary schools. There are increased expectations for student academic performance and behavior/self-control. Middle grades students are also expected to assume greater responsibility for their learning and to develop and put to use critical work-study skills including task persistence, completing assignments and projects on time, time management, and organizational skills.
A growing body of research demonstrates that strengthening the middle grades experience is a critical leverage point for improving high school graduation rates and increasing the number of students who graduate prepared for higher education.

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How do communities think about priorities relating to people’s jobs and health? United Way CEOs see some connection necessary for their joint success, but do not witness an integrated approach locally.

Each year on June 21, tens of thousands of volunteers around the world join United Way for a Day of Action, tackling projects to improve education, financial stability and health. It's not only a coordinated effort offering meaningful volunteer opportunities, but it also helps United Way's 2.6 million volunteers and 9.6 million donors understand how they're fueling real community change.

More education leads to better jobs and higher incomes. But it’s also linked to health, life expectancy, voter turnout, incarceration, and more. Use this tool to see what might happen if educational outcomes were to improve.

In 2008, United Way set out bold goals for the nation to tackle: working to boost youth graduating from high school on-time, to improve working families’ financial stability, and to keep Americans healthy and avoiding risky behavior.